'Desperate Housewives' Trial over Nicollete Sheridan's Firing Begins, Lawyers Make Opening Statements

The trial over former Desperate Housewives star Nicollete Sheridan departure from the ABC's hit television show has begun as lawyers gave their opening statements to the jury.

Sheridan's lawyer argued that she should receive approximately $6 million for her character being killed off of Desperate Housewives, after the show's creator, Marc Cherry, slapped her across the face.

Mike Baute, Sheridan's lawyer, said that Cherry struck the 48-year-old actress on the head in September of 2008. He then fired her after ABC cleared him of any wrong doing, reported The Associated Press, according to Yahoo.

This is a man hitting a woman in the head--hard--without her consent, Baute said.

Sheridan's former costars, Eva Longoria, Terri Hatcher, Felicity Huffman and Marica cross, could potentially provide more information during the trail. They are all listed as witnesses. The trial is expected to provide a look at how a major network show is created, with both the prosecution and the defense focusing on what when on when writers and creators decided to kill Sheridan's character, Edie Britt.

Two of the show's writers are expected to testify in the case as well. They are expected to say that the decision to kill Edie Britt was not made until after ABC concluded its internal investigation into the slapping incident, reported the Associated Press.

Baute claims that the death of Sheridan's character was hastily planned. However, Cherry's defense attorney, Adam Levin, argued that her character's death was part of the natural evolution of the show's plot. They say it was a creative decision to kill her character and she was not fired for complaining about Cherry.

People die all the time in television, Levin said. He also argued that if the plot is done correctly, it will boost the show's ratings.

Sheridan's character died during Desperate Housewives fifth season. Jurors will be shown clips from the show, notes and diagrams. They see Sheridan's contracts and emails, attorneys said.